A woman who thought her tanned skin was the result of self-tanning from nights out on the town was shocked to discover it was a sign of cancer. 38-year-old British teacher Debra MacCuaig she experienced unusual itching and at first thought it was a reaction to the detergent or body lotion. Since she looked tanned, she attributed it to the more frequent use of self-tanning cream, writes the diary.
The situation changed when her eyes began to turn yellow and Debra began to suspect jaundice. She was teased at work for looking like a character from The Simpsons, but blood tests revealed very high bilirubin, which indicated a problem with her bile ducts or liver.
When her condition continued to be serious, doctors decided to perform the Whipple procedure, in which they remove part of the pancreas, duodenum, gallbladder and part of the bile duct. During the operation, they discovered that he had a tumor on his pancreas, which was immediately removed. Debra had to undergo six months of chemotherapy.
She made a full recovery after the procedure, but soon experienced another tragedy. Her mom, Pam Grindall, got the same symptoms of jaundice and was later diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Debra lost her in May 2023, almost five years after her own diagnosis. Debra recalls that before the disease her life was completely normal. In October 2018, she started to feel itching and had no idea that it was something more serious. She says that her skin was sensitive, so she didn’t even think of another cause.
The turning point came when she noticed the yellow eyes. “I asked my husband if he could see it too and he said yes,” describes. She had all the symptoms of jaundice, dark urine and itching, but she still thought the suntan lotion was causing her tanned appearance. After further examinations, she was diagnosed with a blocked bile duct, which was confirmed by ultrasound, CT and MRI. When the condition did not improve, an operation came that revealed the tumor and saved her life. Chemotherapy was difficult, but successful.
Today, Debra warns people not to underestimate their symptoms. “Always trust your gut. If you don’t feel right, get yourself checked out.” she says, believing her story will help save someone else.
